C7 Elder Sun

The two servants had only thought to stop Wang Ye, to prevent him from ascending the Stairway to Heaven. They hadn't considered that by taking the last spot, Wang Ye would naturally be unable to climb.

"Not good!" Wang Ye realized with alarm as he saw a servant heading for the Stairway. If the last spot was taken, his chance to ascend would be lost forever.

"Get down here!"

With a roar, Wang Ye lunged forward. Despite the searing pain from his wounds, he managed to grasp the servant's leg.

The servant tumbled to the ground, unable to shake off Wang Ye's grip. He turned and snarled, "Kid, let go of me, damn it!"

But Wang Ye couldn't possibly release him. Clinging on for dear life, his fingernails dug deep into the servant's flesh, gouging out several bloody holes. The servant howled in agony.

"It's killing me!" The servant's screams echoed as if his leg had been skewered by a steel spike, the pain so intense it was almost unbearable.

"Get down here!"

Wang Ye yanked with all his might, and finally, the servant slid down. Wang Ye quickly rolled away, and the servant tumbled down the Stairway to Heaven.

"What a waste!" Lin Yuan's face darkened to its limits, frustrated that not only had the servant failed to ascend, but he had also been pulled down by Wang Ye.

Wang Ye lay on his back, gasping for air. The effort had drained him of all his strength, leaving him unable to climb any further.

Luckily, the nearest competitor was still a dozen steps behind, giving Wang Ye a moment to recover and a chance to ascend.

Realizing the opportunity, the person behind him surged forward, climbing with a burst of newfound potential that was nothing short of astonishing.

Wang Ye's brow furrowed. He had assumed they wouldn't be so quick, but now, as he lay exhausted, they were seizing the moment to unleash their potential.

"Sorry, but this last spot is mine."

Finally, someone reached Wang Ye, looking down at him with a smug smile. In Wang Ye's weakened state, it would be all too easy for him to be overtaken.

However, just as he was on the verge of overtaking Wang Ye, Wang Ye delivered a powerful kick to his face. The force of the kick sent him tumbling down the ladder.

"He... How could he do something like that?"

"It's outrageous to kick someone off the ladder like that."

Witnessing the incident, the onlookers were shocked. They hadn't expected Wang Ye to resort to such tactics, especially since he had previously been the target of similar aggression.

Amidst the crowd's astonished stares, Wang Ye showed no remorse. The Lin Residence's servants were right; if climbing the ladder meant doing whatever it took, then so be it.

He had waited two long years for this chance and was determined to ascend the ladder. If anyone dared to vie for the last spot, he was ready to fight tooth and nail.

"Anyone who dares to compete with me for the last spot might as well come and meet their end. I'll make sure of it!"

Wang Ye glared menacingly at the people behind him, his presence intimidating. Fear gripped them, and for a moment, they forgot to advance, realizing their opportunity to climb the ladder was fading.

Lin Yuan's expression darkened as he commented, "This kid is heartless. Even if he becomes a Martial Cultivator, he'll surely be a scourge to humanity. The sect should strip him of his qualifications."

"How can one accomplish anything significant without being ruthless?" Li Muqing chuckled, expressing surprise and a hint of admiration for Wang Ye's recent actions.

He was well aware of the animosity between the two, yet Lin Yuan's opinion mattered little to him. His admiration for Wang Ye was personal and unrelated to Lin Yuan.

Li Muqing wouldn't hesitate to extend an olive branch to Wang Ye and foster a closer relationship, especially since Elder Sun held him in high regard.

After a brief respite, Wang Ye paid no mind to the others and continued his ascent. Upon reaching the final rung, he collapsed and lost consciousness.

As his figure vanished from sight, the last person had crossed, and the ladder began to dissipate until it disappeared completely, as if it had never existed.

"Is that it? Is it over just like that?"

"It feels like it was all just a dream."

They were returned to their starting point, gazing at where the ladder once stood, enveloped in a dreamlike haze. The Stairway to Heaven assessment had concluded, just like that.

"The Stairway to Heaven assessment is over. For those who are not ready to give up, try again next year!" Li Muqing addressed the crowd, signaling that it was time to move on to the next phase of the assessment.

Reluctantly, the crowd dispersed after Li Muqing's announcement. Some abandoned the thought of further participation, while others left with renewed determination, planning to take on the Stairway to Heaven once more the following year.

Meanwhile, those who had conquered the Stairway to Heaven found themselves transported within the Qingxuan Sect, emerging in a vast area brimming with spiritual energy, drawing the gaze of many onlookers.

"Are those this year's successful candidates from the Stairway to Heaven?"

"How many do you think will make it through the test this year? Last year, only eight managed to pass. I wonder how this year will compare?"

"Isn't it always just a handful? Even if they've passed the Stairway to Heaven, the number who make it through the final test is still incredibly small."

"The journey of cultivation is a defiance of the natural order. Did you think it would be easy? I've been in the sect for over two years and still haven't grasped Qi sensation. It's maddening!"

The surrounding crowd, composed of servant disciples recruited by the Qingxuan Sect in previous years, engaged in lively discussions, reminiscing about their own experiences.

"Senior Brother Li has arrived. Thank you for your efforts."

"It's quite cold today. You two must have had a tough time."

Li Muqing and Lin Yuan were greeted warmly by the servant disciples, who were eager to ingratiate themselves with these outer disciples.

Li Muqing acknowledged the greetings with a brief nod, clearly uninterested in the servant disciples, considering it beneath him to pay them much attention.

Lin Yuan, on the other hand, responded warmly, "Just keep cultivating diligently, and I believe you can all become outer disciples like us and contribute to the sect."

"Senior Brother Lin, I envy you. We started at the same time, and now you're working alongside Senior Brother Li."

"That's right! You can't ignore the gap between Senior Brother Lin and the rest of us. His martial arts talent is exceptional!"

Some flattered openly, while others boasted to their peers, "See! Among those who started with us, some have become outer disciples. Don't you dare think you can push us around!"

Indeed, whenever someone from the group that arrived together became an outer disciple, the rest would share in the glory, feeling as though they themselves had achieved that status.

Upon hearing this, the other servant disciples regarded those individuals with newfound respect, realizing that they had powerful backing. They knew better than to bully them from now on, lest they invite retaliation.

Li Muqing detected a potent presence approaching and promptly channeled the Yuan energy within him. He turned to the crowd and commanded, "Quiet down! Elder Sun has arrived. Everyone, silence!"

The crowd instantly fell silent and looked up, awe-stricken. They saw a figure striding through the air from afar, his robes billowing gracefully, exuding the ethereal presence of an immortal.